Cap attachment



April 3, 1962 a. BLOOM ET Al.

CAP ATTACHMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 19, 1958 M O O L B D Du A N R E Du BENJAMIN LEV BY ma a z f /w, w cw ATTIYS April 3, 1962 a. BLOOM ETAl 3,027,555

CAP ATTACHMENT Filed March 19, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS: BERNARD BLOQM BENJAMIN LEV ATT'YS April 3, 1962 B. BLOOM ETAL 3,027,565

CAP ATTACHMENT Filed March 19, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l/l/llllll INVENTORS:

BERNARD BLOQM BENJAMIN LEV United States Patent Ofifice 3,027,565 Patented Apr. 3, 1962 3,027,565 CAP ATTACHMENT Bernard Bloom, Chicago, and Benjamin Lev, Skokie, Ill. (both Mid-City Uniform Cap Co., 2330 W. Cermak Road, Chicago 8, 111.)

Filed Mar. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 722,614 13 Claims. (Cl. 2-195) This invention relates to a uniform cap and, in particular, to a support means for use therein.

This application comprises a continuation-in-part of our co-pending application Serial No. 701,206 for a Cap Attachment, filed December 6, 1957, and now abandoned.

A conventional uniform cap construction is one having an annular band adapted to encircle the wearers head and a flexible cover arranged to extend generally upwardly from the band. Means are provided to extend the forward portion of the cover angularly upwardly and forwardly. Further, in such uniform caps, means are provided for mounting a display attachment such as an insignia on the upright, forwardly extending portion of the cover. Certain uniform caps are further provided with means for securing a second display device, such as a plume, to the cap to extend upwardly from the front top portion of the cover. To distend the cover at the juncture of the upstanding portion and the top portion thereof, a distending means, such as a grommet, may be provided in addition to the above discussed means.

The principal feature of this invention is the provision of a new and improved support arranged to comprise in combination two or more of the above discussed means.

Another feature is the provision of a support adapted to be secured at one end to the band of the uniform cap and having an upstanding portion adapted to retain the stem of a display device, such as a plume.

A further feature is the provision of such a support wherein the upstanding portion is further adapted to retain a second display device, such as an insignia.

Still another feature is that the upstanding portion is arranged to define a pair of intersecting sockets permit ting the stem devices to have an interlocking relationship.

Yet another feature of the invention is the provision of such a support comprising two elements arranged to define co-operatively the stem receiving socket means.

Yet another feature is that the support includes a distender secured to the upper end thereof by the means serving to retain the two elements in assembled relationship.

A yet further feature is the provision of such a support wherein the socket means are arranged to dispose the display devices in a desired arrangement relative to the cover.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of such a support including means for releasably retaining the plume stem independently of the insignia stem while precluding undesirable lateral translation of the plume in the support.

Another feature is that the means comprises an adapter received within the elements defining the stem receiving socket means.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1. is a perspective view of a uniform cap having associated therewith an insignia and a plume;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view looking from the underside thereof, with a support embodying the invention installed therein;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical section thereof;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the support looking from the left rearward side thereof;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the support looking from the left forward side thereof;

RIG. 6 is a perspective view with portions, broken away, of a uniform cap having a modified form of support;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical section of a uniform cap having another modified form of support;

FlG. 8 is an exploded perspective View of the support of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the support of FIG. 7 looking from the left rearward side thereof; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the adapter.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, as disclosed in FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawings, a uniform cap, generally designated 10, is shown to comprise an annular band means 11 adapted to encircle the wearers head and having a cover 12 associated with the band to upstand therefrom. A visor 13 may be provided to extend forwardly from the lower portion of band 11.

As best seen in FIG. 1, suitable display means may be associated with cap 10, and may include a first display device 14 comprising an insignia and a second display device 15 comprising a plume or pompon. Insignia 14 may be of substantially conventional construction, being provided with a threaded stem 14a having associated therewith suitable retaining means such as nut 14b. Plume 15 may be of substantially conventional construction and is provided with a U-shaped stem 15a having a transverse bottom portion 15b defining a loop means adapted for retaining engagement with stem 14a of insignia 14 as will be more fully described hereinafter.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the forward portion 16 of cover 12 comprises an angularly forwardly extending upright portion 16a and a transverse, top portion 16b. Insignia M is arranged to be retained in a centered position on upright portion 16a and plume 15 is arranged to be retained at a desired angle extending upwardly from top portion 16b. A unitary support means 17 is provided to be mounted on hand 11 inside cap 10 to extend upwardly therefrom to effect the desired forwardly inclined disposition of cover portion 16 and to serve as means for effectthe retention of insignia 14 and plume 15 in proper position on the cap.

Support 17 comprises a first plate member 18 having a generally fiat lower portion 13:: which may be slightly curved to conform to the curvature of band 11. Lower portion 18:: is adapted to be secured to band 11 by means of a clip 19 which is fixed to band 11. As best seen in FIG. 2, band 11 may be provided with a sweat band portion 11a which extends across the lower end of plate portion 18a and clip 19 to protect the wearers head from contact therewith.

Upstanding from lower portion 18a of plate member 18 is an upper portion 18b which is arranged to extend generally in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to the central plane of lower portion 18a. This angle is preferably the angle at which it is desired to extend cover upright portion 16:: forwardly from band 11. Upper portion 18b may be offset from the lower portion 18a by an intermediate portion 180, as best seen in FIG. 4.

An opening 18d is provided in upper portion 18b through which stem 14a of insignia 14 is adapted to pass. To accommodate the mounting of insignia 14 at different vertical positions relative to cover upright portion 16, opening 18d may be elongated to define a slot. Extending generally vertically upwardly from upper portion 18b and generally parallel to lower portion 18a is an upper end portion 18e. When support 17 is properly positioned in clip 19, upper end 18c extends to substantially adjacent cover top 1612, as best seen in FIG. 3.

Secured to upper portion 18b of the first plate member is a second plate member 21 defining an adapter and having an upright clamp portion 20a. It is preferred that upright portion 2 a extend at a slight inclination to lower portion 18a of the first plate member, the angle of inclination being comparable to the angle at which it is de sired to extend plume 15 from cap 10. An opening 2% is provided in upright portion 28a in general lateral alignment with opening 18d in upper portion 18b of the first plate member whereby support 17 defines a socket means S through which stem 14a of insignia 14 may extend. At its lower end, upright portion 20a is provided with a finger 200 which extends forwardly from portion 26a to hook retainingly around the lower edge 18, of opening 18d.

Extending in a plane generally perpendicular to the plane of upright portion 20a is an upper end portion 20d which is provided with an opening 20c adjacent upright portion 20a. Opening ZGe is arranged so that when stem 15:: of plume 15 is extended therethrough the stem lies along the inner face of upright portion 20a and extends parallel thereto. Thus, support 17 defines a second socket means S, for receiving stem 15a, which intersects the first socket means S through which stem 14a extends.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, when stem 15a is propcrly inserted into support 17 its lower end 15b is retained under stern 14a of insignia 14, whereby outward longitudinal movement of stem 15a from support 17 is prevented. As nut 14b precludes outward movement of stem 14a, both display devices 14 and 15 are fixedly retained on support 17 by this co-operative arrangement.

Upper end 20d of second plate member 20 extends to adjacent upper end 182 of the first plate member and is provided with an upright flange 20 which is facially aligned with upper end 182. A distender bar 21 may be secured between flange 20 and end 18e by suitable means such as rivets 22, which rivets also serve to secure flange 20 and end 182 in fixed association. In addition to effecting a distention of cover 12, bar 21 may be rounded at its ends and extend somewhat above flange 20 and end 18c to preclude catching and tearing of cover 12-.

Cover upright portion 16a is provided with an opening 160' for extension therethrough of stem 14a of insignia 14, and cover top portion 16b is provided with an opening 16d for extension therethrough of stem 15a of the plume 15. Means such as a leatherette piece or an eyelet 23, or both may be provided to reinforce the opening. As best seen in FIG. 3, distender 21 is arranged to abut the underside of cover portion 16b and preclude downward movement of the top cover portion adjacent opening 16d. The length of stem 15a is preferably such that when loop portion 15b is hooked under insignia stem 14a the outer portion of the plume bears against eyelet 23, thus locking stem 15a longitudinally.

Cap may be provided to the wearer with support 17 properly secured in clip 19 within the cap. To install a suitable insignia 14 thereon, the wearer need merely insert the stem 14a of the insignia through opening 160 in the upright portion of the cover front, through socket means S definedat its ends by openings 18d in the first plate member and 20b in the second plate member, and secure the insignia in place thereon by means of nut 14b. If it is desired that a plume also be provided on cap 10, the U-shaped stem a is first inserted through opening 16d in the top portion 16b of the cover, through socket means S defined at its upper end by opening c in the top portion of the second plate member until looped end 15b is disposed below the point through which stem 14a is to extend. Stem 14a is then inserted through openings 16c, 18d and 20b as described above and stem 15a is locked in place thereby.

Turning now to' the embodiment of FIG. 6, a modified form of cap generally designated is shown to be provided with a modified form of support 31. Cap 30' and support 31 are generally similar to cap 11} and support 17 of the first embodiment except that the distending means of this latter form comprises a continuous annular grommet 32 extending completely along the line of juncture between top cover portion 33 and upright cover portion 3a. In all other respects, support 3.1 is generally similar to support 17 and functions in a similar manner.

In FIGS. 7 through 10, a uniform cap 4% is provided with another modified form of support 41 which is adapted to permit ready installation and removai of the plume 42 relative to the supoprt without engagement with the insignia stem. Plume 42 is similar to plume 15 and support 41 is similar to support 17 except that an adapted piece 43 is installed between upper portion 44a of the first plate member 44 and the upright clamp portion 45a of the second plate member 45. Adapter piece 43 comprises a channel portion 43a longitudinally tapered to have a narrowed lower end 43b disposed at approximately the mid-portion of the opening 451) in second plate member 45. Extending laterally outwardly from charinel portion 43a are web portions 430 facially engaging inner surface 45d of second plate 45 andhaving edgewise engagement with the side wall flanges 45s of plate member 45. The outer edges 43d of the adapter piece and flanges 452 of the second plate member 45 are inclined inwardly towardeach other in a downward direction so that when the adapter piece is received between flanges 45e, a wedging action occurs preventing a downward movement of the adapter piece relative to the plate member. Movement of the adapter piece away from piate member 45 is prevented by the abutment of the channel portion 43a with upper portion 44a of the first plate member 44. Thus, the adapter piece is securely retained in place between the two plate members.

The side walls 43e of the channel portion 43a define a downwardly narrowing socket means into which the lower, U-shaped end 42a of plume stem 42!) is received. The spacing between side walls 43e at lower end 43b of the adapter piece is substantially less than the width of stem end 42g so that when the stem is inserted into the adapter piece, it has a tight wedging engagement with the side walls, locking the plume effectively to the support while permitting a ready removal thereof when desired. Thus, where the plume is periodically installed and removed from the cap without a change in the insignia means, support 41 provides desirable improved facility.

While we have shown and described certain embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a uniform cap; an annular band; a cover extending upwardy from the band and having a forward part defining an upright portion and a top portion extending rearwardly from an upper portion of the upright portion; support means extending from the band upwardly behind said upright portion to extend said forward part, said support means defining a first socket means extending horizontally outwardly toward said upright portion and a second socket means extending upwardly toward said top portion and intersecting said first socket means; means fixedly securing the lower end of the support means to the band; an insignia device having a stem extending through said upright portion and said first socket means; means associated with said stem and support means longitudinally securing said stem; and an ornament device having a connecting element extending through said top portion and into said second socket means, said connecting element having a loop portion engaging said stem to be retained thereby against longitudinal movement outwardly from said second socket means.

2. In a uniform cap; an annular band; a cover extending upwardly from the band and having a forward p art defining an upright portion and a top portion extending rearwardly from an upper portion of the upright portion; support means extending from the band upwardly behind said upright portion to extend said forward part, said support means defining a first socket means extendlng horizontally outwardly toward said upright portion and a second socket means extending upwardly toward said top portion and intersecting said first socket means; a first display attachment having a connecting element extending through said upright portion for retention in said first socket means; and a second display attachment having a connecting element extending through said top portion for retention in said second socket means by said connecting element of the first display attachment.

3. In a uniform cap, an annular band; a cover extending upwardly from the band, said cover having a forward part defining an upright portion having an opening therethrough and a top portion extending rearwardly from an upper poriton of the upright portion and having an opening therethrough; support means extending from the band upwardly behind said upright portion to extend said forward part, said support means defining a first socket means extending horizontally outwardly toward said opening in the upright portion and a second socket means extending upwardly toward said opening in the top portion; a first display attachment having a connecting element extending through said opening in the upright portion for retention in said first socket means and a second display attachment having a connecting element extending through said opening in the top portion for retention in said second socket means.

4. In a uniform cap, an annular band; a cover extending upwardly from the band and having a forward part defining an upright portion and a top portion extending rearwardly from an upper portion of the upright portion; support means extending from the band upwardly behind said upright portion to extend said forward part, said support means including a plate member facially juxta posed to said upright portion and having an opening therethrough and an adapter member having an end extending generally parallel to said top portion of the cover and a clamp portion in spaced facial alignment with said plate member and having an opening aligned with the opening in the plate member; a first display attachment having a connecting element extending through said upright portion of the cover, and said openings in said plate member and clamp portion of the adapter member; means retaining said connecting element against longitudinal movement; and a second display attachment having a connecting element extending through said top portion of the cover and said opening in said end of the adapter to engage said connecting element of the first dislay attachment and be retained thereby against outward longitudinal movement.

5. In a uniform cap, a support for mounting two display attachments thereon, comprising: a generally planar plate member having an opening therethrough; an adapter member having a generally planar end portion with an opening therethrough, and a generally planar clamp portion extending transversely from said end portion in spaced facial alignment with said plate member, and said clamp portion having an opening aligned with said opening in the plate member; and means for securing together said members with the three said openings transverse to a common plane.

6. The support of claim 5 including a distender secured between said members adjacent said end of the adapter member to project laterally therefrom generally parallel to the plane of the plate member.

7. A support for use in a uniform cap to extend the forward portion of the cover angularly upwardly and forwardly and adapted to mount thereon an ornamental device, such as a plume, having a stem portion, comprising: a first plate member having a generally flat lower portion and an upper portion extending in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to the plane of the lower portion and having an upper end; and a second plate member having an upright portion extending angularly to said lower portion of the first plate member, the lower end of said upright portion abutting the lower end of the upper portion of the first plate member, and an upper end portion extending perpendicular to the plane of the upright portion, said end portion being secured to the upper end of said upper portion of the first plate member and being provided with an opening adjacent the upright portion whereby the plume stem may pass through said opening to extend parallel to the upright portion of the second plate member.

8. A support for use in a uniform cap to extend the forward portion of the cover angularly upwardly and forwardly from a band member thereof and adapted to mount thereon a pair of ornamental devices, such as an insignia or a plume, each having a stem portion, comprising: a first plate member having a generally flat lower portion adapted to be secured to the band of the cap and an upper portion extending in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to the plane of the lower portion and having an upper end, said upper portion having a forwardly opening opening therethrough; and a second plate member having an upright portion extending angularly to said lower portion of the first plate member and having a forwardly opening opening therethrough in registry with the opening of the first plate whereby the stem of the insignia extended through the cover may pass through said openings to mount the insignia forwardly of the cover, the lower end of said upright portion abutting the lower end of the upper portion of the first plate member, and an upper end portion extending perpendicular to the plane of the upright portion and being secured to the upper end of said upper portion of the first plate member and having an upwardly opening opening adjacent the upright portion whereby the stern of the plume extended through the cover may pass through the opening in said end portion of the second plate member to extend parallel to the upright portion of the second plate member to mount the plume superiorly of the cover.

9. A support for use in a uniform cap to extend the forward portion of the cover angularly upwardly and forwardly and adapted to mount thereon an ornamental device, such as a plume, having a stem portion, comprising: a first plate member having a generally flat lower portion and an upper portion extending in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to the plane of the lower portion and having an upper end; a second plate member having a fiat upright portion extending at a slight angle to said lower portion of the first plate member, the lower end of said upright portion abutting the lower end of the upper portion of the first plate member, an upper transverse portion extending perpendicular to the plane of the lower portion, and a flanged end extending upwardly from the transverse portion spaced from the upright portion, said transverse portion being provided with an opening adjacent the upright portion whereby the plume stem may pass through said opening to extend parallel to the upright portion of the second plate member; and a distender secured between said flanged end and the upper end of said upper portion of the first plate member to extend laterally therefrom.

10. In a uniform cap having a band and a cover, a support for mounting thereon an ornamental device such as a plume having a stern, comprising: a plate member; means for securing the plate member to the band to extend upwardly toward the cover; a second member having an upper end provided with an opening therethrough; means for securing said second member to said plate member with said opening facing toward the cover whereby the plume stem extended through the cover may be 7 inserted through said opening; and a locking piece secured between said members and defining an inwardly narrowing socket axially aligned with said opening to have a wedging coaction with the plume stern and lock the stern against inadvertent movement relative to the support.

11. A support for use in a uniform cap to extend the forward portion of the cover angularly upwardly and forwardly and adapted to mount thereon an ornamental device, such as a plume, having a stem portion, comprising: a first plate member having a generally flat lower portion and an upper portion extending in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to the plane of the lower portion and having an upper end; a second plate member having an upright portion extending angularly to said lower portion of the first plate member, the lower end of said upright portion abutting the lower end of the upper portion of the first plate member, and an upper end portion extending perpendicular to the plane of the upright portion, said end portion being secured to the upper end of said upper, portion of the first plate member and being provided with an opening adjacent the upright portion whereby the plume stem may pass through said opening to extend parallel to the upright portion of the second plate member, one of said members having flanges spaced on opposite sides of said opening and extending toward the other of said members; and a locking piece between said upper portion of the first plate member and said upright portion of the second plate member and having edge portions engaging said flanges to retain the locking piece in place, said locking piece defining a channel nar rowing away from said opening into which the plume stem may be wedged to secure the stem against inadvertent movement relative to the support.

12. A support for securing the stem of a plume to a uniform cap, comprising: means including a longitudinally tapered socket element for wedgingly receiving said plume stem to retain the plume therein; and means for securing said element to the cap with said socket element disposed to wedgingly receive said stem.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the socket element includes a longitudinally narrowing channel portion for receiving the plume stern.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

